FPL managers get two sets of four chips in 2026/27, with separate deadlines, distinct effects and only one chip allowed per Gameweek.
Fantasy Premier League chips are designed to give managers extra flexibility. They also produce deadline panic, frantic group chats and the sudden belief that one promising substitute is the missing piece of a £100m masterpiece.
In 2026/27, every manager receives two sets of four chips: Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain. That means eight chips across the season, split between the first and second halves. The important bit is that the first set cannot be carried into the second.
How FPL chips work in 2026/27
You can play a maximum of one chip in any Gameweek. That restriction applies even if you have several unused chips available, so you cannot combine a Wildcard with Bench Boost, or Triple Captain with Free Hit.
The first set of chips must be used by the Gameweek 19 deadline, scheduled for 13:30 GMT on Saturday 2 January 2027. Any first-half chips left unused at that point expire. A fresh Wildcard, Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain then become available for the second half of the campaign.
Deadlines are fixed for each Gameweek, although changes are possible. Official guidance says a deadline will not be changed within 24 hours of its scheduled time, so managers should still check the live FPL game before making a time-sensitive decision.
Wildcard – unlimited permanent transfers
The Wildcard allows unlimited transfers in one Gameweek, with the changes becoming permanent. The squad you build remains your squad after that Gameweek, rather than reverting to its previous configuration.
That makes the Wildcard a structural tool. It suits a team carrying several injuries, underperforming players or awkward long-term fixtures, particularly when a few ordinary transfers would leave the squad looking like a cupboard assembled by committee.
It is not limited to one type of Gameweek. You do not have to use it in a Double Gameweek, and there is no universal deadline at which it suddenly becomes wise. The useful question is whether your squad needs a lasting overhaul.
Saved transfers are retained when you play a Wildcard. Any transfers banked before the chip is activated remain available for the next Gameweek.
Free Hit – a temporary squad for one Gameweek
The Free Hit also gives you unlimited transfers, but its changes apply for one Gameweek only. After the Gameweek ends, your squad returns to the configuration it had before the Free Hit was played.
That makes it particularly useful when a Blank Gameweek leaves several players without a fixture. You can build a temporary 11-versus-11 squad without permanently dismantling a team that may still be well set up for the following weeks.
Free Hit can also be used in a Double Gameweek, where a temporary squad may target players with two fixtures. More fixtures do not guarantee more points, starts or returns, however. Rotation and player quality still matter, because football remains annoyingly resistant to spreadsheets.
Saved transfers are retained after using a Free Hit, just as they are after using a Wildcard. The chip bypasses the usual transfer constraint for that Gameweek without erasing the transfers you had already banked.
The Free Hit cannot be used in Gameweek 1. There is also a specific boundary rule: if you use the first Free Hit in Gameweek 19, you cannot use the refreshed second Free Hit in Gameweek 20.
Bench Boost – count points from your substitutes
Bench Boost makes the points scored by all four benched players count towards your total for that Gameweek. Without it, those bench points do not form part of the Gameweek score in the same way.
The chip is most appealing when your full 15-player squad has useful, available fixtures, especially in a Double Gameweek. A bench full of players who may not start is much less exciting, regardless of how many fixtures appear on the screen.
Bench Boost does not change your squad permanently and does not provide extra transfers. It changes how the bench contributes for that Gameweek only. Once the round is over, the chip has done its job.
For a closer look at what happens when players do not play, see our guide to how FPL automatic substitutions work.
Triple Captain – triple the captain’s points
Triple Captain makes your selected captain score three times his points for that Gameweek instead of the usual double. If the captain scores 10 points, the captaincy contributes 30 points rather than 20.
Double Gameweeks are popular opportunities because a player may have two matches in which to score. They are not compulsory targets, though. A reliable player with one strong fixture may be a better captaincy option than a rotation risk with two uncertain ones.
The chip concentrates the decision on one player, so check the captain before the deadline. A flawless plan with the wrong armband is still a very efficient way to spend a week being annoyed.
Which FPL chip solves which problem?
| Chip | What it does | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Wildcard | Unlimited permanent transfers in one Gameweek | Repairing or restructuring the squad |
| Free Hit | Unlimited transfers for one Gameweek, followed by a squad reset | Managing a Blank Gameweek or temporary fixture opportunity |
| Bench Boost | Makes points from all four substitutes count | Using a strong, available 15-player squad |
| Triple Captain | Triples the selected captain’s points | Backing one strong captaincy opportunity |
The distinction is straightforward. Wildcard changes the long-term team, Free Hit handles a short-term problem, Bench Boost rewards squad depth and Triple Captain puts the emphasis on one player.
FPL chip rules and common questions
Can I use two chips in one Gameweek?
No. Only one chip can be activated in any Gameweek, regardless of how many remain available in that half of the season.
Do unused first-half chips carry over?
No. The first set expires at the Gameweek 19 deadline. The second half provides a new set of four, but unused first-half chips do not become additional chips later.
Do Wildcard and Free Hit erase saved transfers?
No. Saved transfers are retained after using either chip and remain available for the next Gameweek.
Does a Free Hit team become permanent?
No. The Free Hit squad applies for one Gameweek, after which your team returns to its pre-Free-Hit configuration.
Can I use both Free Hits in consecutive Gameweeks?
Not across the first-half reset. If the first Free Hit is used in Gameweek 19, the second cannot be used in Gameweek 20.
Must I save every chip for a Double Gameweek?
No. Double Gameweeks can increase the appeal of Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain, but fixture quantity is only part of the decision. Player quality, expected minutes and the condition of your wider squad all matter.
The best chip week is not the same for every manager. Use the chip whose mechanics solve your actual problem, keep the first-half deadline in view and do not let FPL folklore make the decision for you. The buttons are powerful enough without treating them like sacred relics.
For wider planning, our FPL strategy guide covers the decisions that sit around chip use, including transfers, squad structure and rank management.
